With a Telangana bandh call from midnight today and a public meeting at the Lal Bahadur Stadium organised by the A.P. Non-Gazetted Officer (APNGO), in support of Samaikyandhra (united Andhra Pradesh) agitation tomorrow, the atmosphere is getting charged up in the Capital city.

19 restrictions

The City Police have given permission to the meeting with a list of 19 restrictions. Facing flak on the decision to give the nod to the APNGOs meet from the pro-Telangana Joint Action Committee, the City Commissioner, Anurag Sharma, said it was given on first request basis and after taking the necessary precautions.

Since July 30, when the Congress Working Committee pronounced its decision to carve out a separate State of Telangana with 10 districts and Hyderabad as the joint Capital for 10 years, the Seemandhra region with 13 districts (Coastal 9 and Rayalseema-4), has been in the grip of agitations with severity in some districts.

The State Secretariat in Hyderabad has become a centre for protest and dharna by the APNGOs. On some days, Telangana NGOs have also put up counter protests.

The net result is a virtual state of inactivity in the Government-people interface over a month now. In view of the bandh call given in the Telangana region, many schools and colleges have announced closure on Saturday.

The State Road Transport Corporation also said it will take a call on running buses in the region and city depending on the situation.

Some of the pro-Telangana groupshave said they would prevent people from attending the meeting in the Stadium.

Meanwhile in the State High Court, mild tension prevailed as pro-Telangana and pro-Samaikyandhra lawyers clashed. The latter wanted to form a human chain in the court premises which they were prevented, forcing thepolice to shift the advocates from the premises.

somasekhar.m@thehindu.co.in

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